Google Smartwatch Coming with KitKat and Other KitKat Rumours

Throughout the year we have reported several times on stories, hints and rumours pointing towards Google releasing its own smartwatch with the most recent being that they purchased WIMM Labs, a smartwatch manufacturer, last year. In the last couple days Artem Russakovskii of Android Police fame has posted a rumour on Google+ that Google will release a smartwatch codenamed Gem alongside the Nexus 5 and KitKat. The date he has specified is October 31, saying that the date that were tipped off to of October 14 being the technical acceptance date rather than the release date.

Not much is known at this stage about the Google smartwatch but considering all the actions Google have taken in that arena it seems inevitable that it will happen eventually. Everyone else seems to be ready to release one, why not Google?

Of note is Artem’s next rumour which states that in KitKat the messaging app is no more. All messaging will be handled by the Hangouts app on the Nexus device being tested. This rumour was speculated before the release of Hangouts, back when we thought it was going to be called Babel, although eventually we got it right and went with Hangouts.

The new Hangouts will be able to handle videos now as well as MMS messages to go along with the new addition of SMS messages. His source is not convinced the new version of Hangouts will be ready by the KitKat release but if not will follow soon after.

With so many smartwatches being announced is there a place for a Google/Nexus smartwatch? Would you be interested in purchasing one? What about Hangouts taking over all messaging? Is this a change for the good?

Scott Plowman Associate Editor

Scott is our modding guru - he has his finger on the pulse of all things ‘moddable’, pointing us towards all the cutting edge mods hacks that are available. When he’s not gymming it up, or scanning the heck out of Nexus devices, you'll find him on the Ausdroid Podcast.

Outside of Ausdroid, Scott's a health care professional and lecturer at a well known Victorian university.

Not stoked on the news that SMS will be integrated with Hangouts. I disable Hangouts when I install a new ROM. No one I know with a Android device uses it either. Hopefully my mind is changed when/if it happens. Have to check it out before making judgment I guess.

Function would be pretty much the same, just combined into a single app. Would mean that ROMs that don’t include GApps would need their own messaging app though (sure they could put one together without much effort mind).